Many stadiums and auditoriums are used for multiple purposes involving differing seating and floorspace demands. For example, many outdoor stadiums are used alternately for football, baseball, and track and indoor auditoriums are often used for theatrical shows; large meetings, basketball, gymnastics, ballroom dancing, etc., and the seating and space requirements for all such sports and/or activities differ radically. As a result it is highly desireable to provide roll-away seating so that space can be cleared for one activity, or extra seating provided for another.
An important aspect of changing the seating provisions of stadiums and auditoriums is the time and labor required to effect the change. For example, an afternoon football game may be followed by a night baseball game and it may be necessary to make a major change in the short period of an hour or two. To be able to do it rapidly and with a minimum of labor would be highly desireable.
Another important consideration is security of structure and safety of personnel. The seating must be readily collapsible, but it must not be so easily collapsed that the occupants can do it inadvertently during normal use.
The present invention, therefore, has as a general object, the provision of means whereby extended rows of seats may be collapsed quickly and easily with a minimum of labor. A further object is to provide such a mechanism with a substantially tamper-proof mechanism for holding extended rows of seats in the upright position, but also permitting quick and efficient release to be performed when desired.